Seperate Category section for Reprints on E-Bay

[Archive]

Posted By: Mike W

Somebody with more initiative than I really should suggest to e-bay to create a separate category for REPRINTS! And, if reprints are “accidentally” put into the “REAL CARDS” category (correctly labeled or not) the auction would be ended.

Brilliant?

[Archive]

Posted By: davidcycleback

I agree that would be a good catagory. And any cards described as "Not sure if genuine or reprint" would automatically go into the reprint category.

There could also be an addition category titled "Looks genuine to me but, as the card is not graded, I am selling it as an unauthenticated reprint," as there are many of these cards.

[Archive]

Posted By: Brian

I did it a few months ago...spent a good 20 minutes writing up the justification. Sent to Ebay and the response I got back was that they cannot take unsolicited "new catagory" proposals from the puplic. I don't recall if they really stated why, but the feeling I got is that they didn't want litigation accusing them of using someone's idea and later requesting compensation for a good idea.

Brian E.

[Archive]

Posted By: Nick

I am concerned that it will lead to eBay legitimizing sales of counterfeit cards. T3, T206, etc. can be legally reprinted because the intellectual property has passed into the public domain, but '52 Topps Mantle, '86/'87 Fleer Jordan, and some of the other widely counterfeited cards have not.

Nick

[Archive]

Posted By: davidcycleback

That is a legitimate point, but illegal reprinting is against the rules now one eBay.

It is the legal responibility of the copy rights or trade mark holder to press or at least initiate the issue of stopping unauthorized reprints. Many 1952T Mantles are obviously not authorized reprints, but if Topps doesn't take initiative on the issue, little will be done. Duly note that I'm talking about accurately described reprints here, not counterfeits. Counterfeiting (reprinting in order to sell as originals) is illegal whether or not Topps cares.

Concerning the eBay sellers who think they are getting off by selling their fakes but not technically calling them original, I recently talked to a Professor who told me about a infamous painting forger. The forger would make paintings of old masters, age them, and not sign the painter's name to them. The forger said he never said the painting was an original by the master, but the buyers came to the conclusion themselves when looking at them. He felt that the buyers' concludions was not his responsibility.

I commented, "Well if he was the seller and the maker of the painting, he has to give more detail to the potential buyer."

And the Professor said, "That's what the sentencing judge said."